War Palace and Knee Pillow, Austria’s Destiny

Austria's crazy railway construction has led to a major problem, that is, Austria's pig iron production is seriously insufficient.

Since then, a large number of steel companies have sprung up.

The demand for coal mines also increased rapidly, and Austria's industrialization began to accelerate.

Vienna, Schönbrunn Palace.

Thalia bounded into Franz's room, waving the letter in her hand.

"I have a letter from Archduke Franz, the archduke who came from the country."

Seeing Thalia's proud look, Franz couldn't help but be curious.

"Why are you so happy?"

Thalia asked instead without answering directly.

"Want me to read the letter to you?"

Franz sighed.

"Are you worried that if you teach me, you will be laid off in the future? Don't worry, it won't happen. I'll read the letter by myself, just so I can read."

Franz was confused as soon as he opened the letter. What was this?

At this time, Franz had already learned German and French. In his previous life, he knew some English, but he had no clue what he was seeing.

"You don't understand, little genius. This is Spanish!" Thalia said with a smile.

Franz was speechless for a while, why should an Austrian write in Spanish?

So I had to say.

"Then just read it."

At this time, Talia started to sell things again.

"Are you asking for help? Have you forgotten the etiquette of nobles?"

"Dear Miss Thalia, can I ask you to read a letter?" Franz stood up, bowed, and said every word.

"Then I will reluctantly agree to you."

Thalia took the letter and read it.

Dear nephew, Franz.

As you said, my application to serve as a military observer in Chenla caused quite a stir in the military.

After intense discussions, the military brass finally accepted my application.

General Tural told me that he would do his best to find someone for me.

But in the end, I only found two warriors who knew the Chenla language and were willing to follow me to Chenla.

At the same time, Prince Metternich also found me. He hoped that I could become Austria's envoy, establish diplomatic relations with Chenla, and collect as much intelligence about this country as possible.

I was also given some permissions so that I could protect myself at critical moments.

He would send a professional diplomat to accompany me, and I readily agreed, not missing an opportunity to grow my small team.

Normally, a military observer should have 20 followers. There are currently two officers and a diplomat in my team.

In the end, I could only find 17 desperadoes. Oh, no, it was adventurers who traveled with me, and I barely managed to make up 20 people.

Most of them are Spanish and Portuguese. These people travel between Europe and Asia all year round and have some understanding of the situation in Chenla.

It's just that these people don't speak German, but fortunately we can speak Spanish and Portuguese.

In comparison, church priests are much more affordable.

Archbishop Rauscher received me personally and told me the gospel of the Lord.

There are just over 10,000 words here.

Archbishop Rauscher hoped that I could bring civilization and the gospel of the Lord to Chenla, so three more missionaries were added to my team.

The church provided 20,000 florins for the trip and 1,000 newly printed Bibles.

Later, through church connections, we contacted a French merchant ship, and the captain was willing to take us there.

At this time, France was the only European country that could trade with Vietnam and Chenla.

We have now arrived at the Cape of Good Hope, having been unfortunately caught in a storm on the way, in which two members of the suite were killed.

Since no bodies were found, the priest could only pray to the sea, hoping to guide their souls to heaven.

By the time you receive this letter from me, we should have arrived in Chenla.

May God bless us to fulfill the great trust of our country and church.

Bless me, may I find the princess and save her.

——Ambrosius.

Franz was thinking about the problems that Ambrosius might encounter. In the last letter to Ambrosius, he had already told him the unspoken rules and some precautions of Eastern officialdom.

For example, don't stare into other people's eyes.

In Europe, it may be disrespectful to others if you speak without looking at them.

In some places in Southeast Asia, it is considered impolite to look at others.

Of course, if you stare at a woman, that's a different story, and people will think you like her.

After thinking about it, there is only one thing to remind Ambrosius now, and that is not to act too hastily, and it will be more efficient to send the letter directly to Schönbrunn Palace than to the inefficient Austrian bureaucracy.

Thalia asked curiously.

"I asked a well-informed general that Vietnam is one of the most powerful countries in Asia, with an area the size of France. Archduke Ambrosius, who only has twenty men, wants to save the princess. Can he do it? "

"The evil dragon is as big as a mountain and lives in a strong castle. Did the knight retreat?" Franz asked.

"But those are all fairy tales."

"Are all fairy tales lies?" Franz acted rogue, after all, he could do this at a young age.

Thalia was indeed in a dilemma, and she didn't know how to explain it.

I had to say.

"Have you finished your homework? You're lazy again. Go, go!"

"Obviously you are the one who wants to read the letter to me."

"You're still talking back! I'll fight you!"

Thalia was too lazy to reason. Seeing no one around, she dropped the letter and rushed over to rub Franz's head.

Franz knew that if he wanted to help Ambrosius, he had to rely on the power of the church.

After all, Emperor Minh Minh of Vietnam prohibited Western missionaries from preaching in Vietnam, so Vietnam offended the French.

France had helped the Vietnamese, providing weapons and funds in Vietnam's founding war and even sending a team of officers to help train Vietnamese soldiers.

France's evaluation of Vietnam is that it "threw France's blessings behind and became the enemy of the European civilized world."

Although missionary work is prohibited in Vietnam, the church has never given up on missionary work in Vietnam.

Emperor Minh Minh of Vietnam ordered the arrest of Western missionaries who preached secretly and persecuted their own Christians.

In the near future, the French will invade Vietnam in the name of protecting persecuted Christians.

The French Church once called on European Catholics to go to Southeast Asia to spread the gospel of the Lord.

However, these people are not stupid. Since the Vietnamese government prohibits preaching, they will go to places where the Vietnamese government's power cannot reach them.

For example, rural areas, such as Chenla.

Among them, of course, were missionaries from Austria and Italy.

As the leader of the religious community in the Austrian Empire, Rauscher certainly had the means to contact these people.

And these missionaries who understood the local conditions were worth far more than sending an army to Chenla.